Universal receptacle.



L. 0. LIEBER.

UNIVERSAL RECEPTACLE. APPLICATION mso FEB. 23. 191s.

1,231,760 Patented July 3, 1917.

LOUIS LIEBER, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

UNIVERSAL BECEPTACLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3,1917.

Application led February 23, 1916. Serial No. 79,919.

To all lwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS O. LIEBER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county ofLos Angeles, State of California, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Universal Receptacles, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to receptacles and the like such as'are used inelectrical construction; and it is the object of this in- -vention toprovide a receptacle which shall be universal in its use, and be capableof receiving any of the ordinary forms of plugs and also a special formof plug hereinafter explained.

It is an object of this invention to provide i a construction which willlead to cheapness of manufacture, both of the receptacle and of theplug, lamp base, or the like, receivable by the receptacle. In almostany situation where a receptacle is used, and particularly in situationssuch as obtain in fuse blocks, electrically lighted signs and variousother pieces of apparatus, the number of plugs or lamps with bases usedis very large. For instance, in an electrically lighted sign the lampsare replaced from time to time; and this is also obviously trueof thefuse plugs in a fuse block. It is an object of this invention tosimplify the construction of the plugs or bases themselves, so as toreduce as far as possible the cost of those parts of which the greatestnumber is used.

Further objects of this invention, and a preferred form of structureembodying the invention, are explained in the following specification,reference being-made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isa section showing my improved universal receptacle in use as in anelectric sign or the like, Fig. 2 is a section taken as indicated byline 2--2 on Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an enlargement of a part of the showingof Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l showing my receptaclereceiving an ordinary screw base lamp, Fig. 5 is a section showing theapplication of my invention to a fuse plug, and Fig. 6 is a view showinga form of fuse plug with a plain instead of a screwthreaded shell.

n the drawings l have shown a receptacle comprising a cylindrical shell10, which shell has a circumferential slot l1 in which a ball l2, orequivalent number, is adapted to move. This ball 12 rolls a ainst asurface i3 back: of the slot 11, the ba projecting through the slot intothe interior of the .Shell 10. i The surface 13 is formed by the mnerface of a suitable member 14, which member may be made integrally withthe shell 10, although this is not an essential. The surface 13 iseccentric to the shell 10; so that when the ball is at one end of theslot 11 it projects considerably past the inner surface of shell 10;while, when the ball. is at the other end of the slot 11, it projectsbut little past the surface. ln the various views the ball is shown inits posltlon of. greatest projection. The slot 11 is of such width,that, although the ball may project as is best shown in Fig. 3, the ballcannot fall entirely through the slot, bemg restrainingly carried by theshell 1() in the manner described.

The shell 10v is mounted upon and within a suitable member 20, usuallyof porcelain or the like, the usual connecting screws 21 and 22 beingprovided for the electricaly connections, screw 21 being electricallyconnected with the shell 10, and screw 22 with the central springcontact 23. This central spring contact may be made in any form desired,but preferably resilient so that the plug may be moved inwardly to itsproper position Vand make good contact with the member 23. The centralcontact 25 of a lamp base, plug or the like, engages with centralcontact 23; while the exterior shell 26 of the plug, lamp base or thelike, contacts with the shell 10. The plug or base shell 26 haspreferably a slight circumferential groove 27 which comes opposite theball 12 when the plug or base is inserted. The plug or base is insertedand is turned slightly to the left (in Fig. 2) so as to roll the ball 12back to the left hand end of slot l 11. The ball then projects by theminimum simply turned a short distance in a right handed directionandthe ball 12 is rolled back toward and to the position shown in Fig 2 byfrictional contact with the plug, the eccentric surface 13 forcing theball toward the plug or base into the position shown in the variousviews. rlihe plug or base is then held against longitudinal rel moval;but it will be seen that a slight rotation in a left handed direction isalways sufficient to release the plu or base so that it may beimmediately Withdrawn. It is one of the features of this invention thata plug or lamp may be very quickly removed cap. In this manner a totallyWeather tight from the receptacle Without rotation of more than afraction of a revolution. And it is a feature of this invention, thatthe lamp, plug, or the like, is easily removed. This is in distinctionto the sometimes difcult removal of sign lamps Where the lamp oftencorrodes into the socket and sticks tightly, causing the destruction ofthe lamp by being twisted 0E its base.

It is also afeature of this invention that the plug or lamp base can bemade in the plain and inexpensive form shown in Figs. l, 2 or 6; and itis one of the objects of my invention to provide a receptacle which Willreceive and hold such a plug or base. It is seen that the plug or baseneed not be screw threaded, but can be made in plain, cylindrical form,preferably with the slight circumferential groove 27, which groove iseasilymade. For some purposes it is not necessary to provide the groove.The ball cannot roll longitudinally, or axially, of the cylindricalshell; so that the friction of the plug or base shell With .the ballwill prevent the plug or base from being removed even if there is nocircumferential groove.

I have shown in Fig. 4- the retention of an ordinary screw base 26A inmyA receptacle. It Will be seen that the ball engages with the side ofthe thread. The action is substantially the same as With the groovedcylindrical base. My receptacle is capable of receiving any of theordinary forms of screw-threaded plugs or bases or the like.

' It will be understood, of course, that my receptacle is applicable tosituations other than those herein shown and explained. In Figs. l and 2I have shown my receptacle as applied to sign Work. In such Work themember 20 is usually placed behind the background board or the like 30,Ythe receptacle shell 10 projecting through an aper# ture in the member30. The forward end of the receptacle shell l0 is provided with a liange3l which is formedv spirally, in the form of a single convolution ofthread, so as to be engageable by screw threads 32 on the cap 33. Cap 33bears back against the member 30 and a gasket or Washer 34 may beinserted to make a Weather tight joint between the cap 33 and member 30.In the form shown in Fig. 1 I have also shown the lamp baseshell 26provided with a flange 35 under Which a Washer or gasket 36 is held,said Washer or gasket pressing back against the cap 33 so as to make aWeather tight joint between the lamp base and the surface ashereinbefore explained. The cen- Y -tral contact 23 may be of anydesired character. This receptacle will, as hereinbefore explained, takea screw thread plug 26h or it Will take a plug of the form shown in Fig.6. The plug shown in Fig. 6 has a plain cylindrical shell 26 preferablywith the circumferential groove 27 and has the central end contact 25. Afuse plug of this character is more cheaply constructed than theordinary screwl thread plug; and on account of the very large number ofthese plugs used, the saving in cost of manufacture is of verjy greatimportance. Having described my invention I claim: l. An electricalconnector, comprising a cylindrical receptacle and a cylindrical plugadapted for free and independent longitudinal movement and rotation insaid receptacle, said receptacle having a circumferential slot with aneccentric surface back of the slot, and a ball restrainingly carriedby'said receptacle adapted to move on said eccentric surface and projectthrough the slot inwardly into the interior of the receptacle to beengaged by the plug.

2. An electrical connector, comprising a cylindrical receptacle and acylindrical plug adapted for free and independent longitudinal movementand rotation in said receptacle, a rolling member mounted on and carriedby the receptacle and projecting inwardly into its interior forengagement by the plug, and means to cause movement of said memberinwardly against the plug by virtue of rotation of the plug in 'thereceptacle.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing l have hereunto subscribed my namethis 17 th day of February 1916.

Louis o. Linsen.

Witness z JAMES T. Banknmzw.

